Hitler

Ascent 1889-1939

De: Volker Ullrich

Narrado por: Don Hagen

A major new biography - an extraordinary, penetrating study of the man who has become the personification of evil.

For all the literature about Adolf Hitler, there have been just four seminal biographies; this is the fifth, a landmark work that sheds important new light on Hitler himself. Drawing on previously unseen papers and a wealth of recent scholarly research, Volker Ullrich reveals the man behind the public persona, from Hitler's childhood, to his failures as a young man in Vienna, to his experiences during the First World War, to his rise as a far-right party leader. Ullrich deftly captures Hitler's intelligence, instinctive grasp of politics, and gift for oratory as well as his megalomania, deep insecurity, and repulsive worldview.

Many previous biographies have focused on the larger social conditions that explain the rise of the Third Reich. Ullrich gives us a comprehensive portrait of a postwar Germany humiliated by defeat, wracked by political crisis, and starved by an economic depression - but his real gift is to show vividly how Hitler used his ruthlessness and political talent to shape the Nazi party and lead it to power. For decades the world has tried to grasp how Hitler was possible. By focusing on the man at the center of it all, on how he experienced his world, formed his political beliefs, and wielded power, this riveting biography brings us closer than ever to the answer.

Translated from the German by Jefferson Chase.

©2016 Volker Ullrich (P)2016 Gildan Media LLC

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Ullrich reveals Hitler to have been an eminently practical politician - and frighteningly so. Timely...One of the best works on Hitler and the origins of the Third Reich to appear in recent years." ( Kirkus Reviews)

"An outstanding study...All the huge, and terrible moments of the early Nazi era are dissected...but the real strength of this book is in disentangling the personal story of man and monster." ( The Guardian [U.K.])

Great book!

This is perhaps one of the best woks on the subject I have come across. Personal details make this work come to life in a way that makes it most enjoyable to listen to. Highly recommend it.

Info good reading not so much.

Good information but difficult to listen to. The reader was a little sleep inducing. Part of it was parts that were a bit technical and hard to follow. With all the acronyms (NSDAP,SPD, ASPCA, ABCD, LMNOP) it can be easy to get lost. And changes in pronunciation made it hard as well. Ava Braun's name was anything from actual pronunciation to Brown.

Gripping, eye opening look into the life of HItler

A compelling look into the personal beginnings of Hitler right up until after the annexation of Czechoslovakia in 1939. The author presents an exhaustive account of every aspect of Hitlers life in an effort to separate the legend from the fatally flawed megalomaniacal
individual that he was.

factual density overcomes narrative monotony

this book was amazing but have a secondary reference for all things german history and government. the delivery was either monotone or a euphemism for the slow creep of Hitler's takeover. I do wish there was a second edition. the lead up is not enough and it leaves much to be desired as far as german political climate is concerned. murchtenzie mehr.

Not completely pro German but close

A true pro German book the author wouldn't feel the need to say... That's nonsense of course... When expressing Hitlers opinion on a racial matter. that being said the author was fair 99 percent of the time.
I have five stars because this book was at least as good as Toland or Kershaws bio on Hitler. It covered his childhood very well.
The reader was top notch but I wish the Thule society would be covered more as I feel we may not of heard of Adolph Hitler if his path had not crossed there's.

Overall Fantastic

Ive never enjoyed the flow and text of an audible book more than this book. The only really slow part was the part of religion and Hitler. I think it could have been a better book with the description of the assassination attempts. I knew of the generals and how some did not like him or work with him on an expanded war, beyond Czechoslovakia, the Rhineland, Austria and Lithuania. Hitler's megalomania bloomed to its max with the conquering of Austria. The author, with the help of Don Hagen, who's voice is tremendous for this book, helped to show how Hitler could have been stopped, "if" the judicial system had the backbone to stop him and the monarchists had not helped Hitler by constantly breaking down the Reichstag and created an environment for
Hitler as a source of "stability" while Germany struggled to find a government of strength and future, without collapse. Ive never read a book on Hitler that clarified the love/hate relationship between the S.A. and Hitler. The S.A. was on the constant edge of overthrowing him and the people of Germany, domestically, didn't always have a lot of support for the Nazi Party.
Hitler gave the S.A. the Jews to attack and eventually murder on a mass scale. The S.A. and Hitler symbolized the heartless component of WWI and the German humiliation and hatred for the loss of WWI and the land lost as well. The S.A., Gestapo, and S.S. are all the continued organized evil of WWI, heartless and merciless of elements of the German "residue" that Hitler kept alive until its total destruction at the end of WWII. Foreign success helped to quiet the domestic voices of negativity.
Hitler had a dog during WWI on the front, he couldn't swim or drive a car. The author shows many interesting things to help
humanize this monster.

Hitler Everything You Wanted to Know and More

I felt the time was right to review the fall of democratic Germany and the rise of Hitler. Very well done but it’s only for the dedicated as it is very long and complete.

Surprisingly engaging for a 34 hour audiobook

What made the experience of listening to Hitler the most enjoyable?

Well researched and logically presented story. The narrator is capable and pleasant to listen to--important for such a long audiobook.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Goebbels because he kept a diary of nearly everything and was a sycophant.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Hitler reoccupied the Rhineland and the other powers did nothing to check him even though Germany at the time was not strong enough to resist a concerted military effort by France and Great Britain. What horrors might have been prevented if action were taken promptly to check an obvious power thrust by Hitler?

Any additional comments?

Everyone should know this history in order to prevent it from happening again as history is wont to do.

Worthwhile if you haven't read a Hitler biography

I've read every major historical biography of Hitler in my studies, so I picked this up on audible for ease. Honestly, it's ok. I would certainly say it's a good start off point, at least as good as Kershaw's and with some updated information. Ullrich also concentrates a lot more on Hitler the man and has a fairly differing POV with a lot of previous scholarship on questions about Hitler's personality. I certainly cannot complain about the research and writing, it's all good. Honestly though, I preferred reading it myself later. The narration isn't great.

Adds a lot

While I learned a lot about the Nazi dictatorship from Kershaw’s biography, it couldn’t explain Hitler’s personal power. This study rectifies, by giving Hitler more credit both as an actor and for intellect (memory). However, both are so eager to avoid psychohistory they are incapable of addressing their subject’s megalomania, paranoia, obsessiveness and criminality (antisocial), even as they use these terms loosely as they go. At least this study explains better why Hitler was politically potent. Both books teach a lot about the Third Reich generally, with Ullrich having access to latest sources but Kershaw more interpretive, theoretical.